1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a system for cooling at least one component of a part, in which a plate is used comprising a coolant circulation duct. The invention is in particular applicable in the field of the temperature control of electronic components and in the field of injection molding of parts made from a synthetic material, in which field molds must be cooled.
2. Brief Discussion of the Prior Art
In the case of a heat exchange plate designed to cool electronic components, a coolant circulation duct is defined inside the plate and designed to be connected, by both ends thereof, to a supply duct, which in turn is connected to a refrigerated coolant supply group, as well as a duct for discharging that fluid. When the duct of the plate is disconnected from the supply duct, while the still-hot electronic components are transmitting calories to the coolant confined in the duct, said coolant undergoes a temperature increase accompanied by a pressure increase of a nature to cause ruptures in the duct or its connection elements. Similar problems arise in the field of injection molding, where the molds are subjected to temperature increases, whereas their coolant circulation duct is isolated from its supply.
EP-A-1 790 458 resolves these problems by proposing a volume compensator formed by a piston subject to the pressure prevailing in a coolant circulation duct and suitably sliding relative to the plate. “Compensation” refers to an adjustment of the volume available for the confined fluid under the effect of the pressure of the fluid so as to limit its pressure variations. This piston is subject to the action of a spring that returns it to a position retracted inside the plate once the pressure from the coolant in the duct decreases. This solution is generally satisfactory, in particular inasmuch as no action by the operator is required on the compensation device during successive disconnections/reconnections of the plate with the corresponding supply and discharge ducts. Furthermore, the volume compensation takes place without coolant leakage. However, to be effective, this equipment requires excellent control of the elastic return force exerted by the spring and the friction forces from the piston inside the body in which it slides. This spring must combat said friction forces, while the pressure force that moves the piston must overcome the elastic force due to the spring. This compensation device is therefore not very sensitive to small pressure variations. Furthermore, in the event the spring fails, this device is not able to guarantee that a sufficient expansion volume is available for the coolant.